Ruffling and stitching machine.



R. A. KOSGH.

RUFFLING AND STITGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1910.

1,052,004. Patented Feb.4,1913.

2 SHEETSSHEBT 1. 64 L, 4 a Q l/llllllllll/l/ll/ WWII/ll R. A. KOSOH.

RUFFLING AND STITGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1910.

1,052,004, Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WI T/VESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH A. KOSCH, OLE ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGERMANU- FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

RUFFLING AND STITCHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 26, 1910. Serial No. 583,715.

a citizen of the United States,v residing at- Elizabeth, in the countyof Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certaln new and usefulImprovements in Ruffling and Stitching Machines, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of sewingmachines constructed with a frame comprising a base having ournaledtherein the main-shaft and an overhanging bracket-arm in which isjournaled a longitudinally extending needle-actuating rock-shaft havingan operative connection with the mainshaft.

In sewing machines for domestic use and for like work, it is common todrive a ruf fling device by a connection with the reciprocatingneedle-bar which is driven from the actuating shaft journaled in thebracketarm, but for the heavier classes of work performed by machlnesconstructed for general manufacturing purposes, the additional loadimposed upon the needle-bar by such operative connection with theruiiling device subjects the needle-bar to excessive wear in itsbearings, and other actuating means for; the ruflhng mechanism 18therefore found 1 arm in lower operative DOSltlO-Il and in readvisable.

driving means for the rufiling device independent of the needle-bar andthe connec tions with its actuating shaft, and also to provide means forfitting a ruftling device so driven to an ordinary stitching machine ofthe class described with the least possible alteration of the latter-toadapt it to receive 7 .side elevation, upon a larger scale, of porsuchmechanism.

According to the present invention the machine has a needle-actuatingrock-shaftjournaled in the bracket-arm and carrying crank to which isadjustably secured one end of a link whose other end is pivotallyconnected with a crank-arm of the rufller rock-shaft journaled in abearing bracket upon the head of the bracket-arm and provided with adepending vibratory lever carrying the ruflling blade. To adapt amachine of the class described constructed for ordinary stitching toreceive the mechanism referred to, the crank-plate upon the needleactuating rock-shaft is merely provided with the additional crank-pinand a slot is formed in the rearward side of the bracket-arm head toadmit the said forked arm, the bearing brackets for the rufllerrock-shaft and in termediate rock-shaft being secured upon the exteriorof the head respectively upon the front and rear sides.

The machine embodying the present improvement being designed forruffling, folding and stitching the bottoms of circular articles, suchas dress skirts, is provided with folding devices comprising a pluralityof separable sections, each of which is adapted to be shifted out ofoperative position in different directions relative to the line of seam.One of these members is sustained by a swinging arm fulcrumed upon astud mounted in a bracket upon the head of the bracket-arm and providedwith a segmental boss having peripheral notches to receive a lockingstud carried by a springpressed latch-lever and adapted to lock saidtracted inoperative position.

The invention will be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of asewing machine embodying the present improvements, and Fig. 2 a frontend view of the same with the face plate of the bracket-arm removed.Fig. 3 is a front tions of the rutlling, folding and stitching deviceswith the movable sections of the folding device retracted for insertionor removal of the work. Fig. 4 is a perspective View showing a portionof the rufller-actuating mechanism, and Fig. 5a similar viewrepresenting the latch-lever for the swinging supporting arm in one ofthe folder sections.

The frame of the machine is constructed with the base 1 from which risesthe hollow columnar portion 2 of the bracket-arm whose longitudinallyextending overhanging portion 3 is provided at its forward end with thehead 4 formed with the cavity 5. Jour- Patented Feb. 4,1913.

naled in the bearings 6 provided in the base is the main-shaft 7constructed with the crank 8 embraced by a strap 9 at one end of thepitman 10 whose eyed opposite end 11 embraces the stud 12 carried by thelat eral crank-arm 13 whose hub 14 is fixed upon the needle-actuatingrock-shaft 15 journaled in the bearings 16 and 17 longitudinally of thebracket-arm, with its forward end extended into the cavity 5 of the head4 and having fixed thereon the hub 18 of the crank-plate 19 carrying thepins 20 and 21 in substantially diametrical arrangement relative to theaxis of said rock-shaft. The crank-pin 20 is embraced by one end of theusual pitman 22 whose opposite end embraces the lateral stud of thecollar 23 fixed upon the needle-bar 24 which is journaled withinsuitable hearings in the head 4 for vertical reciprocation therein andcarries the twin needle'cla1np 25 in which are secured the needles 26.The needles coiiperate with eyed loopers 27 mounted upon the oscillatingcarrier 28 journaled upon the rocking yoke 29 fulcrumed upon thestudscrew 30, the looper-earrier deriving its usual oscillatorymovements from an inclined crankpin 31 upon the forward end of the shaft7 and its sidewise movements from the usual means carried by themain-shaft.

Secured to the front side of the bracketarm head 4 by suitable means isthe foot 82 of a bearing bracket having a boss 33 in which is journaledthe rufiler rockshaft 34 arranged parallel with the needle-actuatingrock-shaft 15 and having fixed upon its rearward end the split hub 35 ofthe depending sectional rufl'ler-blade carrying lever or carrier 36provided with the laterally extending stud-pin 37 secured therein bymeans of the clamp-nut 3S and upon which is pivotally mounted thetilting bladeholder 39 to the bottom of which is secured the rufilingblade 40 which is normally pressed toward the throat-plate 41 by meansof the coiled spring 42 whose opposite ends are connected respectivelywith the bladeholder and a finger 43 of the washer 44 carried by thelever 36. The rufller rock-shaft 34 has fixed upon its forward end bymeans of the pin 45 the hub 46 of a crank-arm 47 carrying a screw-stud48 embraced by one of the eyed extremities of the link 49, the other ofwhich is entered by the screw-stud 50 adjustably secured within thesegmental. slot 51 of the upwardly extending arms 52 fixed upon theforward end of the intermediate rock-shaft 53 journaled in a bearing 54which may be secured to or formed integral with the rearward side of thehead 4 of the bracket-arm. The rock-shaft 53 has fixed upon its oppositeend by means of the set-screw 55 the hub 56 of a lateral arm 57 having aforked extremity 58 embracing the crank-pin 21, which is shown in Fig. 4

provided with an anti-friction roller 59. To admit the forked arm 57 58into the cavity 5 for operative connection with the crank-pin 21, therear wall of the bracketarm head 4 is formed with the vertical slot 60,as represented more particularly in Fig. 1.

The bracket-arm head 4 is provided with the usual presser-bar 61normally pressed downwardly by means of the spring 62 in tel-posedbetween the fixed thrust-collar 63 thereon and the lower end of thebushing 64, and the presserbar has secured to its red uced lower end theshank 65 of the presserfoot 66 opposed to which is the feed-dog 67carried by the feed-bar 68 which is piv0tally connected with the usualfeed-rocker 69 deriving its operative movements from the feed-actuatingeccentric 70 upon the main-shaft.

The operation of the stitclrforming, feeding and ruflling mechanisms issimilar to that of other machines of this class, the ruiiling bladebeing advanced to produce a fold in the material beneath the presserfootpreparatory to an operative movementof the feed-dog to advance the workwhile the needles are elevated, and the rutliing blade receding toinitial retracted position while the needles are descending into thefold thus produced and positioned to receive the fastening stitches.

To the work-plate 71 is secured by suitable means a base-plate 72 formedwith a guideway in which is fitted a detachable slide-plate 73 carryingthe edge-folder 74 disposed in advance of and directed toward thestitch-forming mechanism. The baseplate 72 has rigidly connectedtherewith tho laterally extending tongue 75 upon which is mounted theblock 76 having in its lower face a channel fitted to the edges of saidtongue and permitting the block to be shifted toward and from thestitching line. The block 76 has secured adjustably thereon by means offastening screws 77 the shank 78 of the edge-turning scroll 79 and thesuperposed fiange 80 of the folding plate 81, together forming one ofthe laterally separable sections of a plait-folder, of which the othersection consists of the fold-plate 82 provided with the space overlyingplate 83 connected therewith at one edge to form an edge-guiding rib orshoulder 84. The plate 88 has a rigid shank 85 provided with slots 66entered by fastening screws 87 for securing the same adjustably upon theswinging arm 88 formed at its upper extremity with the segmental flange89 provided with spaced peripheral notches 90 and having a concentricaperture entered by the fulcrum-stud 91 carried by the bracket-plate 92which is formed with a shank 93 adjustably secured by means of aset-screw 94 within a transverse channel in the foot 32 of the rulilerrock-shaft bearing-bracket. The bracketplate 92 has upon its rearwardface the fulcrum-screw 95 upon which is pivotally mounted the head 96 ofa latch-lever 97 carrying a forwardly projecting pin 98 passing througha segmental slot 99 in the plate 92 and formed upon its forward end witha tooth 100 adapted to enter either of the notches 90 of the segment 89.The locking tooth 100 is normally pressed toward the segment 89 by meansof a spring 101 having one end connected with the head 96 of thelatch-lever 97 and the other end attached to the bracket-plate 92.

The present machine, as thus described, is designed for producing theclass of work shown and described in the United States Patent to J.Douglas No. 7%,632, dated October 6, 1903.

\Vhen forming the plaits in the body of the garment and inserting withinthe folds thereof the ruffled flounces, the edge-guide '74 is removed,and the reversely separable sections of the plait-folder are broughttogether into operative relation as represented in Figs. 1 and 2. Inthis arrangement of the parts the presser-foot is lifted and the bodyfabric is introduced from the left (referring to Fig. 1) over and aroundthe righthand edge of the fold-plate 81 and beneath the same within thescroll '79, and thence beneath the fold-plate 82, so as to bend the bodyfabric into S-shape, and into the upper member is introduced the marginof the flounce passing intermediate the plates 82 and 83 with its edgein contact with the guide-shoulder 8a. The presser-foot being lowered,the machine is set in motion and the reciprocation of the ruffling blade40 produces the desired transverse crimps or ruffles in the superposedfabric of the fiounce which is stitched within the plait of the bodyfabric as in the patent before mentioned.

In order to form a hem in the margin of the body fabric in connectionwith the last plait, the hem-folder '74 is applied to the base-plate '72, and the body fabric is introduced as before described over and aroundthe edge of the folding plate 81 and underneath the folding plate 82with itsedge entering the scroll of the hem-folder 74, and the fiounceis applied as previously described and the stitching similarlyperformed.

IVhen ruffiing and plaiting endless seams, as in skirts and other roundarticles, just before the stitching reaches the starting point in theseam, the component sections of the plait-folder are retracted fromoperative position, as represented in Fig. 3, and the plait is guided byhand in finishing the seam.

The notches 90 in the segment 89 are so arranged that the locking toot-h100 will enter the one when the fold-plate 82 is in operative position,and enter the other when the fold-plate with its carrier is swungupwardly into extreme retracted position.

One of the chief advantages of the present improvement is that the spacebeneath the bracket-arm is entirely clear and unobstructed so as tofreely admit the body of the garment being operated upon withoutcrowding, and by driving the ruflling mechanism from the forward end ofthe needleactuating rock-shaft within the head of the bracket-arm, thehorizontal portion of the bracket-arm is not weakened by forming alateral slot therein to accommodate a common form of connection betweena ruttling mechanism and the needle operating shaft journaled therein.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim hereinis 1. In a sewing machine, the combination with the frame comprising abase and an overhanging bracket-arm formed with a hollow head, of amain-shaft, a needle-actuating rock-shaft journaled in said bracket--arm with its forward extremity provided with two crank-pins and housedwithin said hollow head, and an operative connection between saidshafts, of stitch-forming mechanism comprising a reciprocatingneedle-bar and a needle carried thereby, ruflling mechanism including aswinging carrier fulcrumed upon the bracket-arm head and a ruiflingblade sustained thereby, and independent operative connections betweenthe crank-pins of said rock-shaft and the needlebar and said carrier,respectively.

2. In a sewing machine, the combination with the main-shaft, aneedle-actuating rock shaft carrying two crank-pins, and an operativeconnection between said shafts, of stitch-forming mechanism comprising areciprocating needle-bar and a needle carried thereby, a pitman with oneend pivotally connected with said needle-bar and the other end embracingone of said crank-pins, ruffling mechanism including a vibratory leverand a rutfling blade carried thereby, a rocking member mounted in fixedbearings and having a lateral arm forked to embrace the other of saidcrank-pins, and an operative connection between said rocking member andthe vibratory lever.

3. In a sewing machine, the combination with the frame comprising a baseand an overhanging bracket-arm having a head in its forward extremityformed with a cavity and with a vertical slot in the rear wall leadinginto said cavity, a main-shaft journaled in said base, aneedle-actuating rockshaft journaled in the bracket-arm and carrying twocrank pins upon its forward eX- tremity within said cavity, and anoperative connection between said shafts, of stitchforming mechanismcomprising a reciprocating needle-bar and a needle carried thereby, apitman with one end pivotally &

connected with said needle-bar and the other end embracing one of saidcrank-pins, ruffling mechanism including a vibratory lever and arufiiing blade carried thereby, a rock ing member mounted in bearingsupon the rear wall of the bracketarm head and provided with a forked armentering the slot in the latter and embracing the second of saidcrank-pins, and an operative connection between said rocking member andthe vibratory lever.

l. In a sewing machine, the combination with the main-shaft, aneedle-actuating rock-shaft carrying two crank-pins, and an operativeconnection between said shafts, of stitch-forming mechanism comprising areciprocating needle-bar and a needle carried thereby, a pitman with oneend pivotally connected with said needle-bar and the other end embracingone of said crank-pins, ruffling' mechanism including a vibratory leverand a ruflling blade carried thereby, a rocking member mounted in fixedbearings, an operative connection between said rocking (topics of thispatent may be obtained for member and the other of said crank-pins, anda connection between said rocking member and the vibratory lever.

5. In a sewing machine, the combination with the main-shaft, aneedle-actuating rock-shaft carrying two crank-pins, and an operativeconnection between said shafts, of stitch-forming mechanism comprising areciprocating needle-bar and a needle carried thereby, an operativeconnection between said needle-bar and one of said crank-pins, a ruttlerrock-shaft provided with a crankarm, an operativetconnection betweensaid crank-arm and the other of said crank-pins, a vibratory lever fixedupon said rufiier rockshaft, and a rufliing blade mounted upon saidlever.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RUDOLPH A. KOSCH.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. MORGAN, HENRY A. KORNEMANN, J r.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington,D. C.

